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Wash Post: Forget about Kentucky, meet the real March Madness Dominator

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WVBlue

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Sep 27, 2001
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by Michael Rosenwald
Washington Post
3/16/15



It is the time of year when work gives way to secretly streaming college hoops on the computer.


It is the time of year when Dick Vitale needs sedation.


It is also the time of year for West Virginia University to win an NCAA Championship - in rifle shooting.

The Mountaineers won their third straight title this weekend, their 17th title overall, making them the most decorated college shooting team ever.


Take that Kentucky.

LINK

Washington Post
 
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PaintedontheSky

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Jun 29, 2013
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A bit of history.......




Such success is all the more startling given the team's recent history. In 2008, West Virginia University completely dropped the team from their funded programs. Rifle was forced to become a club sport, meaning their funds either came out of their own pockets or from donations. (Men's tennis and track-and-field were dropped as well). At the time, university officials said they wanted to devote more resources to football and basketball, the two sports that bring in the most revenue.

It didn't take long for the protests to surface.

"The majority of the outcry was focused on rifle," says Luck. "There were a lot of people here in the community who really supported rifle who went out, raised money and did dinners and tried to show the university that there is substantial support for the program."

In March 2011, Luck and the athletic department made the decision to fund the rifle team again. The team now receives the full allotment of scholarships and a $200,000 annual budget to support it.


Thank you, Oliver Luck.
 
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Mountain Man_rivals148431

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Originally posted by PaintedontheSky:

A bit of history.......




Such success is all the more startling given the team's recent history. In 2008, West Virginia University completely dropped the team from their funded programs. Rifle was forced to become a club sport, meaning their funds either came out of their own pockets or from donations. (Men's tennis and track-and-field were dropped as well). At the time, university officials said they wanted to devote more resources to football and basketball, the two sports that bring in the most revenue.

It didn't take long for the protests to surface.

"The majority of the outcry was focused on rifle," says Luck. "There were a lot of people here in the community who really supported rifle who went out, raised money and did dinners and tried to show the university that there is substantial support for the program."

In March 2011, Luck and the athletic department made the decision to fund the rifle team again. The team now receives the full allotment of scholarships and a $200,000 annual budget to support it.


Thank you, Oliver Luck.
Click to expand...
It would be nice if they eventually reinstated Mens Track and CC and Inagurate Women's Softball. I am glad we did reinstate golf after almost a 20 yr absence. Ollie is still the man IMO. Although he left I don't think he had any intentions to stay for a long period of time. I was surprised when he took the job. He changed the culture of thinking in the Dept. Tripled our revenue sharing with power 5 membership. He fixed it and raised the bar. We are not yet fully vested in Big 12 Revenue which will allow such sports in the not too distant future.
 
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